从《光明天使》看欧茨的悲剧意识

摘要

Joyce Carol Oates presents a tragedy of revenge in Angel of Light.Owen and Kirsten show a spirit of courage under tremendous pressure but have to face their fatal failure because of their characteristic defects,which produces tragic effects in the whole novel.This thesis probes Angel of Light from the perspective of tragedy and character,analyzing the relationship between main characters＇ defects in their characteristics and their tragic endings.Through this character tragedy,this thesis gives a vivid picture of Joyce Carol Oates＇ tragic vision and her fears.At the same time,she eulogizes the fighting spirit of the age and expresses her worries toward the youth＇s growth and the critical feminist movement.%美国当代著名女作家欧茨在其长篇小说《光明天使》中讲述了一出复仇悲剧,主人公欧文和科尔斯顿在重压下展现出无所畏惧的拼搏精神,但性格缺陷却让他们在追寻理想的道路上渐行渐远。理想的崇高与奋斗的逆行这一悖论使得主人公注定以失败告终,也使小说流露出浓烈的悲剧意蕴。文章从悲剧与性格入手,探析《光明天使》中人物性格缺陷与其悲剧结局的关联。透过性格悲剧的文本表象,展现在叙事背后的是欧茨的忧患意识。一方面颂扬了时代激昂的拼搏精神;另一方面又内隐着她对美国当代社会弊端的关注以及对青少年成长、激进女权主义运动的担忧。